More Big Dumb Jock Mayhem

For those of you that have bumped along the road of life with me for the past couple of years, you know I own a Big Dumb Jock (aka BDJ).  You also know that the term is one of endearment and is readily embraced by the BDJ.

 What you may not know is that he is a murderer.  That's right.....he hasn't managed to complete the job but he is definitely trying to kill me.  I would have never guessed years ago that he had a maniacal plan to worry me to death little by little, but I now know that I severally underestimated his ability to pursue this goal.

It all started out well, I managed to convince him to not get his clothes dirty (which by the way stuck because he always looks perfect, even leaving the gym), to be neat and organized and we stressed education first sports after that.  Somewhere along with way the wheels came off that bus and he became a big risk taking jock.

As a mother you worry about your child getting hurt all the time but that ratchets up with sports and can worsen with career choices.  We managed to get through baseball and basketball injury free and  11 seasons of football with only 2 surgeries.  BDJ would have me to believe that none of that was part of a larger plan to do me in.

When he graduated college, he moved across the country and went to work for one of the ABC agencies.  None of that should bother me either right?  The profession he has chosen will take him into some sketchy situations (if all goes the way he wants it too) and he never lets me forget he will choose to do the most risky of things.  He is an adrenaline junkie after all. 

The latest (and I wonder if final part of his maniacal plan) is yet another high risk adventure.  For months if he wasn't at work he has been training.  Training to go to Park City, Utah to the Olympic training facility for a combine to take a shot at making the US Bobsled and Skeleton Team.  These are the guys that ultimately are working to make the US Olympic Team.   My first question was "can you do that?" 

Our second question was "what is Skeleton?"  We have been quite relieved that we were not the only people that were not sure what it was.  Apparently it has been around in the winter Olympics but we were only familiar with Luge and Bobsled.  For those of you that do not know, Skeleton is the sport of hurling ones self face first down an ice track at speeds of 85 mph on a sled.  Yep, that's right only you on a little bitty sled with your face an inch off the ice at high speed!  Sounds fun huh? 

I suppose if you are inclined to risk life and limb for fun it is.....but let me assure you for a mother, Skeleton does NOT spell fun.

 What it means for me is that the few hairs that I had left that were only beginning to turn grey have now turned white along with the rest of my hair. 

It means being in the strange position of wanting your child to realize their goals and cheering them on while fighting the guilt you feel in wanting this insanity to not work out.  I know I am probably way to honest. None of this is news to BDJ, I tell him daily (or when he finally relents and answers his phone).

Two weeks ago today was day one of the combine.  After months of training he was more than ready to get started.

  Day one included sprints and shot put.  BDJ ended up being the only person to complete the combine for both skeleton and bobsled.

Getting ready for sprints.

Day two was in the weight room/ BDJ's favorite spot.  Who looks this happy about working out or lifting?

I hate to watch him lift....I can just see his knees blowing out!

Not to mention he makes really strange noises.

The second half of day two was instruction on pushing the sled and/or bobsled.  Day three it was off to actually push on the practice track.

I was most impressed with pushing the nearly 500 lb bobsled back up the hill :)

On the skeleton practice track.

He ended up with the best numbers at the combine and that was overall including being the only one that did both bobsled and skeleton and is classified as an Elite Athlete.

So now do you see why I say he is out to kill me?  If not, check out a You Tube video of doing this on the actual ice, it will make a believer out of you! lol

In all seriousness, I joke about him being a BDJ (and he is) but he is a very smart and very determined and very competitive.   I know the months of hard work it took to reach this day and I am very proud of him. 

 To be an athlete of that caliber is quite an accomplishment.  So now we wait and see.  His numbers will be sent to Lake Placid, NY and then we wait to see if he gets the invitation to compete in the push championships there in the fall.  After that, who knows?  Thanks for stopping by tolerating my bragging and sharing his accomplishment. Stay tuned for updates.

Summer Sabbatical/Failure to Function

How was your weekend?  Actually how has your month been?  Since I haven't checked in since early July I thought I would drop a line and splain myself a bit (okay the truth is I actually put "geez, post to your blog" on my to do list).  Thankfully, I have now accomplished one thing, which is HUGE.

I am not sure what has happened to me, but for a bit over a year now I have had a strong tendency to look instead of do, to sit instead of stir, to mope instead of live.

In my defense it has just been so darned hot!  So I know the last couple of weeks of June and the first of July I was justified in doing little to nothing.....everyone was doing it (or not doing it) don't you know? 

Then we took a little road trip to the gulf coast.....love me some time in Destin.  Nothing like the first look at that gorgeous water when you cross Destin bridge.

I enjoyed a week of lollying about on the beach.  I never seem to be more at peace than when I am near the ocean.  It is the equivalent of Pooh's thinking spot for me.  I generally use this time to clear my mind of junk, realign my priorities and dream up a zillion new projects I want to accomplish.  This year I just sat.   I had some hormonally sketchy days that I attributed the brain fog to, but overall I was good with just being.

Of course it didn't hurt that this was the view from bed!

The last morning we were there this was the first thing I saw.

Wow, what a way to start the day :)

 It did me so much good that for the first time in 26 years of beaching it in Destin, I didn't cry on the way home (I know, the family has learned to completely ignore me on departure day, I can't help it I just don't want to leave the peace I feel there to return to "real life")!

It really was a beautiful ending to vacation.  I was sure when I returned home I would be renewed and ready to get with the program. 

I can honestly say that I did get with it, in the yard.  We were blessed with 6 inches of rain while we were away, so I have mowed twice in 6 days.  I have surely enjoyed the new growth of everything since that rain, it all looked so brown and beyond help when we left.  I am so glad to have the flowers looking happy again and hopefully we will be enjoying them into early October.

My rejuvenated spirit seems to only dwell in the yard though :(  I cannot seem to accomplish anything else.   My endless whining about my lack of ambition has gotten on my nerves along with everyone else's. 

So as I wait and pray for this all to pass and to feel like the old me again, I have decided to look at it in a different light.  I have decided not to think I am unambitious....I have decided that I had taken a sabbatical (I just didn't know it).

Sabbatical (literally means a ceasing) is a rest from work, or a hiatus, often lasting from two months to a year.  So here I was thinking I was just being sloth like when really I have been on a sabbatical (apparently, an extended one of just over 1 year and 3 months)!  Who knew.....I'm not feeling quite so bad now.  In fact I am embracing this hiatus......

With some mint iced tea, a book and several magazines!  Hopefully now that I have figured out my problem I will be back on track soon.   Thanks for stopping by.  Have a great week!

Might as Well by Walking on the Sun

Oh lawd y'all it is HOTTTT!  Today it was 106,  I didn't even know it could get that hot here!

9:00 am - 95 and climbing and not a cloud in sight

I was chatting with the BDJ earlier lamenting the hot weather.  He had no sympathy for me since he deals with these temps for months out there in Hot Vegas.  I guess I know how he feels now.

 Last summer (his first summer in Vegas) he would tell us about the temperatures and we would toss out "well at least its a dry heat" and he set us straight more than once saying "105+ is hot......dry or not it is like walking around in your dryer."  I felt kind of bad today because he was soooo right and I hadn't been very sympathic to him (and I did feel just like I was walking around in my dryer).   Everybody knows Southern girls don't sweat....but I have to admit this Southern girl glistens during a normal Southern summer....sometimes I glisten a lot...but the last couple of weeks since we have had practically no humidity I have to say I do like the lack of glistening even with the high temps!

BDJ also pointed out that he had told us how weird it was to go days and days without seeing clouds.  At the time it sounded wonderful to me, but as I am watering two times a day and hearing my plants screaming for a break I can see where it would get old.

Now I don't want anyone to think I am whining about the heat because I'm not.  I like it hot.  In fact, I don't really enjoy yard work until it is about 85 and full sun. A cloudy 79 degree day sends me inside to read till it warms up!  I can take the heat, I can always seem to cool off but I can't take much winter since I apparently have no blood and can't warm up.  I am only whining about the lack of rain. 

I have the August yard crunch going on in June and the flowers I would normally cut back in two weeks because they were just too big, have yet to really grow at all.   I am struggling to keep my impatients alive and they are in the shade and watered twice a day!  I have to say BDJ was also right about everything being brown as it is there in Vegas getting old.....everywhere I look I see brown and I am tired of it.

The heat is even affecting my grocery shopping.  Nobody here in our little corner of the South seems to have any appetite at all.  The only thing that remotely appeals to me right now is tomato sandwiches and ya'l have heard me whining about my lack of tomato supply already so I won't put you through it again.  I think tomorrow I will trek to town and see if there is anyone crazy enough to be set up at the farmers market, maybe I will score some tomatoes there.

Life has slowed to almost a halt here this week and with the extended forecast looking the same and no rain in site, I can't really imagine the pace picking up anytime soon.   I have so many projects to do outside (mowing isn't one of them right now) but it is just too darned hot.  Low humidity would be great for all that painting I need to complete but I just don't care :)

So I was thinking about some of my favorite memories of things I can remember doing to cool down or things I did years ago that just make me cooler thinking of them.

For those of you fortunate enough to be from Tennessee I'm sure you are familiar with Fall Creek Falls.  The photo below is of the big fall. 

 Courtesy of TripAdvisor

  As a kid my parents took us here for many a picnic in the summer.  For whatever reason we never got to get in the swimming pool there but we did wade the creeks and hike to the base of the falls.  You could stand and be covered with that wonderfully cool mist.  If you haven't been there for a visit you need to add it to your to do list....just being around the falls makes you feel cooler. 

Why am I not in the car headed there now?

This photo of Fall Creek Falls State Park is courtesy of TripAdvisor

We didn't grow up with a swimming pool handy and spent many Sunday afternoons swimming at one swimming hole or another in the Piney river (really a creek).  Now let me say this, the temperature could soar to 120 and you won't catch me in a creek or a lake after my encounter with the Sneaky Snake earlier this summer.  I can remember not being super excited to wade through a field (even though someone had usually weed wacked a path) to get to said swimming hole.  I also remember the adults seem to always stand around watching the banks and talking about cottonmouths!  Really?  What were they thinking?  We were kids and we were hot so we would jump right in the icy water and tell ourselves it was too cold for snakes.

Before we trekked off for an afternoon at the creek we would sometimes stop in at the local ice plant to get a watermelon.  They kept a nice selection in the walk in cooler.  We would really drag out choosing one just to be able to hang out in the cooler just a bit longer.  We would take our melon and drop it in the creek to stay cool while we swam.  When we were finally turning blue, the parents would drag us out to warm up and have watermelon.  Naturally we managed to get juice all over us therefore requiring another dip in the creek before packing up for the day! lol

Lastly, I have always loved making homemade ice cream in the summer heat.  More times than not we end up making it for my birthday.  Lucky for me I just happen to have one of those coming up in the next few days!   I like it with bits of strawberries (but I will eat any flavor).  I always think of my grandfather when we do make strawberry ice cream, he loved it and his strawberries were the best.

So there you have it.....some of my favorite cool down memories.   My current fave cool down and what I fully plan to be doing in a few hours.....sitting in the hut, listening to my waterfall (pretending I am bobbing in the Caribbean just off Saphire Beach) and sipping a pina colada while reading a good book.

 Now I just have to wait until dark.....until then I'll be thinking chilly thoughts.  Have a great weekend everyone.

Junkin Jaunts

I have been fighting the winter blues as of late so when Wonder Hubby has even whispered about junkin I have been all over the idea.  He travels several states and is always spotting places we need to check out.   A couple of weeks ago we headed out to some of them.  Won't you tag along?

We started by heading to Franklin, Tennessee which is full of antique stores.  We were not antiquing here but were checking out a place called PD's.  It is a hidden on a side street and is only known about by word of mouth.  I had heard plenty by mouth so I was ready to see for myself.  I was so excited to snap pics of all the goodies. 

This is the outside, there is no sign anywhere with the store name, we just chanced that this was the place.

  Sadly after I took this shot outside I saw the sign that did say no photos.  Bummer.  I will say that I enjoyed the store and the pricing was not mega store but was less than Pottery Barn.  It had a PB/Restoration feel.  Apparently the inventory changes often so I will be visiting again.  I would definitely recommend stopping and checking it out if you are in the Franklin area.

Next we headed to Goodlettsville to the Rare Bird Antique Mall.  We had tons of fun here.  We spotted some Fiesta there that we ended up going back for.  I loved the general store area.  I didn't buy any old general store merchandise but there are several pieces that I can't seem to get out of my head so I am probably going to be visiting there again soon.  There is a whole area of vintage automotive.

Much of it reminded me of my great uncle's service station in Cocoa Beach Florida in the 1960's.

I so wanted this old leather bag!  And this typewriter.  I recently acquired a portable from the 1960's but this one is so cool I wanted it too!

There was a whole cabinet filled with vintage cameras.  I remember my mom talking about getting a Brownie when she was a teen.

Saw some beautiful architectural pieces including this section of ironwork from a widow's walk of a local home.

I'm a sucker for old gardening tools.

More yard art to love

I almost didn't leave without this one.

A few days later we visited Franklin, Kentucky.  It was a place Wonder Hubby had been mentioning visiting for a while but we had never managed to get there since it is a couple of hours away.  I am so glad we did.  They have a beautiful town square.

There were also some lovely homes on Main Street.  This was the best shot I had since Wonder Hubby was racing to hit the next  junkin spot.

We checked out an antique store downtown that heralded 10,000 square feet of goodies.   We wandered there for hours.  Being a relatively new blogger I still cannot make myself calm down and take photos so I have none of this stop...I hate that.  The only thing I purchased was this candlestick.  I really thought I would paint it and distress it so I never bother to take a pic before I cleaned it up....oops.  I never dreamed it would clean up and I would leave it as is but it did and here it is.

I added it to my PBish table I blogged about here,  I think it is a much better fit than the metal candle holders I first tried.  It has the weight the table needed, much more like the candle on PB table here.

It was late in the day and we were running out of time when we discovered this.

This is Brights Antique World.  The signs says 35,000 square feet of treasures but I believe it is more than that.  We spent 2 hours here and literally only scanned maybe 1/3 of this place.  We fully intend on going back for a two day stay.  It was so clean, neat, organized and just plain incredible.  I was sure the prices would be out of my junking budget but I was pleasantly surprised.   Wonder Hubby tried his best to convince me to buy the Fostoria American punch bowl, pedestal and tray I have had my eye on as well as the square Fostoria American cake plate I have been wanting but I just couldn't pull the trigger.  Ah hem...I hate to admit it but I should have listened to him.  Now I have my fingers crossed that it will still be there or that I can find more at the same prices.  As I said we were very short on time so I only snapped a couple of pics.

Wonder Hubby and I caught up with each other occasionally...we were both so amazed by this place we were running around in circles!   Hopefully you can get a sense of just how big this place is.

So sad that I only have these two overview shots but I was just too awestruck to remember to snap any!  I will simply say if you are anywhere near or within driving distance to Franklin Kentucky run don't walk to get to Bright's.  You better hurry too because I fully intend to go back and take a trailer with me.

The very next week The Nana surprised Wonder Hubby and I with some goodies she picked up for us while junking in Decherd, Tennessee.  More Fiesta, naturally.

A retired Apricot Covered Casserole, a snack plate set, a heart shaped bowl, salt and pepper shakers and some pretty amber glasses I had been looking for.  It was so thoughtful and she just made our day.

We wound up our junking streak at the Nashville Flea Market this past weekend.  Mini and Bri joined us.  It was a beautiful Saturday even if a bit cool

There were a lot fewer vendors this month but it was still fun to poke around.  I am still loving the brightly painted furniture.

 Wish I had somewhere to put this repurposed door chalkboard.

With my Rooster fetish I can't believe these didn't come home with me.

This handpainted lamp with embellished shade was adorable.  I love the chenile.

The jar is also chenile embellished and too cute.

I love going to the flea market because it is such an eceletic mix of trash and treasure.  I saw this and it brought back so many memories of going to Shoney's drive in and sitting on "the hump" in the backseat (pre seat belts you know) eating burgers and onion rings.  Anyone else remember Shoney's as a drive in?

There is also always something that makes you say, who, what and why, and this is this month's edition of the weird.

I don't think I want to know who would buy an old exam table complete with stirrups.  This candle was a close second, although it is kind of funny.

Of course we had to visit the Fiesta man and of course we didn't leave empty handed! hehehe

I have been needing these individual oval servers.

I wonder if I will ever have added enough plates...these are the newbies.

I have saved my market favorite for last.  I absolutely fell in love with this and if I could figure out what I am willing to give up in my kitchen I would so remodel just to accomodate this it.

The pictures turned out dark but it is a beautiful old industrial cart turned kitchen island.  It was so unique I wanted it bad....and have no where to put it :(  Thankfully it was sold so that probably saved Wonder Hubby $50,000 or so)   The pic below shows a closer shot of the bottom shelf and wheel.

This island was pretty cute too....but my heart belongs to the gigantic dark wood bohemeth of an island.  If it is has a twin there next month, I may just have to remodel! 

So there you have it, the culmination of 3 days of pure junkin fun.  Seeing all these wonderful things and sharing it with Wonder Hubby and the girls was great.  Getting goodies from The Nana wasn't too bad either :)   I hope you enjoyed tagging along.